Fashion Takes Action

Registration is NOW OPEN for the 2025 Canadian Circular Economy Summit which includes the Textiles & Apparel Track, hosted by Fashion Takes Action! Be part of Canada’s flagship circular economy event. Join industry leaders, innovators, and change-makers from across the country to explore cutting-edge solutions and collaborative opportunities that will shape a sustainable future. CCES 2025 is your opportunity to connect with experts across sectors, dive into groundbreaking ideas, and spark collaborative action towards a thriving, circular economy in Canada. 📅 April 15-17th, 2025 🏙️ Fairmont Queen Elizabeth, Montréal 🔗 Reserve your spot today at circulareconomysummit.ca Take advantage of our Early Bird rates - the first 300 delegate passes sold will be 35% off! Let’s build a circular future. Register today! circulareconomysummit.ca #CCES2025 #SCEC2025

We've said it before and we'll say it again - the FTA Team is small, but mighty! Working remotely we don't often get the chance to spend time all together but this year we decided to make the most of our holiday gathering by volunteering at New Circles Community Services, an incredible non-profit that provides free clothing to Canadian newcomers. Not only is their work a beautiful example of how generosity can spark real change, it is also an incredible pathway for unwanted clothing. Win-win! 💡 Some incredible things we learned: • New Circles estimated that they divert 4-5 million pieces of clothing annually—that’s roughly 2.5 million pounds of textiles and 3.3 million tonnes of CO2 emissions reduced! • Roughly 30% of the clothing they receive is brand new (proof of how quickly clothes move from sales racks to donation bins these days!) • Everything they distribute is free for Canadian newcomers (they also provide important frontline resources and job skills and training programs to set their clients up for success in the Canadian job market). • They’re always looking for volunteers (it’s a super rewarding experience, trust us)! 👕 Right now, they have a need for men’s and boys’ clothing, and they always accept winter coats. If you’ve got pieces to spare, consider giving them a new life with New Circles. We loved celebrating the season by supporting a cause that aligns so much with the work we do. Huge thanks to the New Circles team for welcoming us, and cheers to nearly 20 years of impact in Toronto! 🥂 Wishing everyone a happy holiday filled with connection and joy. ❤️ Kelly Drennan Nikki Byrne Audrey Henderson Laura Cristinzo #TextileWaste #Reuse #SecondhandClothes #HolidayGiving ___ Looking for another opportunitiy to give back this holiday season? Fashion Takes Action is collecting donations to bolster our My Clothes My World Youth Climate Education program in 2025. Between now and 2025, your donation will be matched by Collective Fashion Justice (aka – you can DOUBLE your impact for our future climate leaders). https://lnkd.in/gY5QpjZk ❤️

📢 New Report: Canada’s IC&I Sector Textile Waste Study 📢 The institutional sector in Canada generates over 10,000 tonnes of textile waste annually, with the majority ending up in landfills. Our new IC&I Waste report uncovers the scale of the issue and explores actionable circular solutions to divert these materials from waste streams. 📊 Key Findings: • 96% of institutional textile waste originates from the Linen and Laundry Services (LLS) sector. • Hospitals replace 43% of their textiles annually. • Correctional facilities send 70% of their waste directly to landfill. 🔄 Driving Circular Innovation In collaboration with @Fanshawe College and @Western University, we are piloting a groundbreaking recycling initiative. By processing cleaner feedstocks like sheets and towels into biochar for soil amendment, we’re paving the way for scalable circular solutions. This report provides critical data and insights for institutions, policymakers, and industry leaders to develop effective strategies for textile diversion and recycling. ➡️ Download the full report to explore our findings and learn how we can address these challenges together: https://lnkd.in/gDyzUfwq 📩 Interested in collaborating? Contact us at [email protected] to join the Canadian Circular Textiles Consortium (CCTC). #CircularEconomy #TextileWaste #Sustainability #CanadianInstitutions #FashionTakesAction #CCTC

At Fashion Takes Action, we know that achieving circularity in fashion requires more than innovation and collaboration—it demands courageous conversations that challenge deeply ingrained industry norms. This concept, introduced by Lina G Londono and Debrand during a recent Canadian Circular Textiles Consortium (CCTC) Learning Series session, inspires us to confront the uncomfortable but essential truths necessary for systemic change. Hosted by FTA and Debrand, alongside panelists Claudia de Witte from Eastman and Katina Boutis from Everlane CCTC members tackled critical questions, including: • Producing less—How can the industry prioritise quality over quantity while maintaining viability? • Recycled materials—What’s holding us back from consistently committing to recycled inputs at scale? • Overproduction—Can we realistically recycle our way out of this problem? • Policy & investment—How do we persuade policymakers and investors to subsidize sorting and recycling technologies? • Material innovation—What will it take to design out contaminants and phase out fossil fuel-derived textiles entirely? These types of conversations are just one of the benefits of being a CCTC member. The consortium allows members to: ✅ Participate in exclusive monthly Learning Series sessions that close knowledge gaps on key topics like EPR, advanced recycling, and design for circularity. ✅ Connect with 120+ stakeholders across the value chain, to share insights and drive collaborative action. ✅ Access a platform for collective action, reducing duplication and aligning efforts toward a common circularity goal. Now, we want to hear from you: What courageous conversation should the fashion industry be having next? Let us know in the comments or reach out to learn more about CCTC membership. 📩 Learn more or inquire about membership: [email protected] #CircularFashion #TextileInnovation #SustainableSolutions #CollectiveAction

📢 Invest in the Future of Sustainability This #GivingTuesday, join Fashion Takes Action in driving change where it matters most: education. For over a decade, our My Clothes My World program has empowered thousands of students, as young as 8 years old, to explore the intersection of fashion, #climate, and consumer responsibility. Why? Because education is a powerful lever for systemic change, and we are uniquely positioned to equip young minds to drive the transformation toward a more sustainable future. 💡 The Opportunity: • Equip students with tools to help address the impact that 100 billion garments produced annually makes • Help expand our curriculum to include new topics like #Biodiversity & Fashion, a timely addition that will foster ecological literacy. • Meet the rising call for early climate education to align youth with the transferable skills and values demanded by tomorrow’s green economy. ✨ The Impact: • $5,000 raised by December 31st unlocks an equal $5,000 match from our educational partner Collective Fashion Justice, doubling the reach and impact of your contribution. • Your support will ensure the next generation understands how their daily choices—starting with what they wear—impact global systems. This Giving Tuesday, let’s advance solutions by investing in education that shapes tomorrow’s sustainability leaders. 🔗 Donate today and maximize your impact: https://lnkd.in/gY5QpjZk Together, we can inspire critical thinking, responsible consumption, and actionable change for a healthier planet. 🌿 #GivingTuesday #YouthEmpowerment #SustainableFashion #ClimateChange #EcologicalLiteracy

Black Friday is fast approaching—a day synonymous with overconsumption, impulse buying, and deep discounts at the expense of people and planet. But what if we flipped the narrative? Enter Circular Monday, a global movement championing circular and sustainable alternatives to the Black Friday frenzy. Circular Monday encourages individuals and businesses to embrace a sharing economy through practices like renting, reuse, and resale instead of buying new. Originally launched in 2017 as ""White Monday"" in Sweden, this initiative has grown into a worldwide effort to redefine our approach to consumption. It’s a rallying cry to reject wasteful habits and prioritise resourcefulness, creativity, and responsibility instead. This is a powerful reminder that consumer choices have an impact. By participating in or supporting movements like Circular Monday, we can collectively shift the focus from "buying more" to "valuing what we already have." Let’s make November 25th a celebration of solutions for a better future. How will your brand, business, or personal choices align with this message? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the conversation with #CircularMonday! ➡️ Want to learn more or participate? Visit circularmonday.com for details on how to get involved. #CircularMonday #BlackFriday #Overconsumption

📦 Are Digital Product Passports (DPPs) the Key to Circularity in Fashion? The concept of Digital Product Passports is gaining traction, and it’s easy to see why. As an industry, we’ve long struggled with the transparency needed to make circular systems work – and DPPs might just be the solution we’ve been waiting for. A brand new Playbook from @Enkel offers insights into how DPPs could transform the way the industry approaches sustainability. Picture this: a garment with a digital record that tracks everything from materials and supply chain processes to care instructions and end-of-life pathways. DPPs could enable: 👉 Materials transparency: What’s really in that ""recycled polyester""? 👉 Traceability: Clear records of where and how the item was made. 👉 Longevity tools: Repair and care guidelines to extend product life. 👉 Circular pathways: Information for recyclers to process items properly. While the potential is exciting, the Enkel guide also highlights the significant barriers we need to address: 🔑 Standardized data systems: Current systems don’t communicate effectively across the value chain. 🔑 Global interoperability: Brands, suppliers, and recyclers need to work seamlessly together. 🔑 Upfront investment: Implementing DPPs at scale requires infrastructure and technology upgrades. The takeaway? Tools like DPPs could be instrumental in achieving circularity and accountability, but they’re not a standalone solution. They require collaboration, clear guidelines, and a unified approach across the industry. We’re curious – how do you see DPPs fitting into your work? Let us know in the comments! 💬 Link to the new Enkel Playbook 👉 https://lnkd.in/g9TPC26C #Sustainability #CircularFashion #DigitalProductPassports #TextileTransparency #FashionTech

Last week, our Founding Executive Director Kelly Drennan attended the Design Legacies - Indigenous Fashion & Textiles Summit in Saskatoon! We were so grateful to be able to attend alongside CCTC partner Jerret Paquette from Sic Sox Circular Ltd., and share key insight into the impact that fashion waste, the role of industry when it comes to solutions and the opportunities to collaborate and solve this, together! Here are a few snapshots of an amazing couple of days, including an upcycling workshop led by Wyatt Miller from Sparked Apparel. We loved hearing and learning from so many diverse perspectives, and for the opportunity to build new relationships within the SIIT network. Thanks to the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies (SIIT) for having us! #Upcycling #CircularEconomy #CircularTextiles

We have are in the process of nominating some incredible changemakersto the Global Change Awards - innovators and entrepreneurs whose ideas we believe will support the transition to a net-zero textile industry! As an official nominator for the Global Change Award we supporting the H&M Foundation on its mission to decarbonise fashion. The changemakers we will be nominating have the chance of becoming one of ten winners who will be awarded with a grant of 200,000 EUR in addition to gaining access to a one-year Changemaker Programme. Interested?! There's still time! ⏰ The deadline to share your idea with us is Friday, November 8th. Email [email protected] with GLOBAL CHANGE AWARD the subject line, and tell us about your BIG IDEA! Learn more here 👉 globalchangeaward.com #FashionInnovation #DecarbonizingFashion #GlobalChange #GlobalChangeAward

In a landmark move, California has enacted SB-707, the first Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation in the U.S. targeting the textile and apparel industry. The Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024 mandates that producers – not consumers or recyclers – take responsibility for managing post-consumer textile waste through collection, repair, reuse, and recycling. Our latest industry brief explores the framework and implications of SB-707, highlighting how this legislation sets a precedent that could drive similar policies nationwide. By requiring producers to form or join a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO), California is not only diverting landfill but also shifting the cost and responsibility for textile disposal back to the source. Such policies empower producers to take action at every stage of the product lifecycle – an essential step toward a circular economy in fashion. Read the full brief here – https://lnkd.in/gmHKYXdd #EPR #TextileRecovery #Sustainability #CircularEconomy #FashionLegislation